Display apparatus

Abstract

A display apparatus includes: a substrate; a display element disposed on the substrate; a pixel-defining layer disposed on the substrate and defining an opening that defines an emission area of the display element; a spacer disposed on the pixel-defining layer and defining a first opening that overlaps the opening of the pixel-defining layer; a thin-film encapsulation layer disposed on the display element; and a light-shielding layer disposed on the thin-film encapsulation layer and defining a second opening corresponding to the emission area of the display element, where a size of the first opening is greater than or equal to a size of the second opening in a plan view.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A display apparatus comprising:
 a substrate;   a display element disposed on the substrate;   a pixel-defining layer disposed on the substrate and defining an opening that defines an emission area of the display element;   a spacer disposed on the pixel-defining layer and defining a first opening that overlaps the opening of the pixel-defining layer;   a thin-film encapsulation layer disposed on the display element; and   a light-shielding layer disposed on the thin-film encapsulation layer and defining a second opening corresponding to the emission area of the display element,   wherein a size of the first opening is greater than or equal to a size of the second opening in a plan view.   
     
     
         2 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer comprises: a first portion having a certain shape; and a second portion that defines the first opening. 
     
     
         3 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are integrally provided as a single body. 
     
     
         4 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the first portion is greater than a thickness of the second portion. 
     
     
         5 . The display apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a thickness of the first portion is about 8,000 angstroms (Å) to about 15,000 Å, and a thickness of the second portion is about 2,000 Å to about 6,000 Å. 
     
     
         6 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the size of the second opening is greater than a size of the opening of the pixel-defining layer in the plan view. 
     
     
         7 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pixel-defining layer comprises a light-blocking material. 
     
     
         8 . The display apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the spacer comprises photosensitive polyimide (PSPI). 
     
     
         9 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a color filter in the second opening of the light-shielding layer. 
     
     
         10 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a reflection control layer in the second opening of the light-shielding layer,
 wherein the reflection control layer absorbs a first wavelength range of about 480 nanometers (nm) to about 505 nm, and a second wavelength range of about 585 nm to about 605 nm.   
     
     
         11 . The display apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a touch sensing layer between the thin-film encapsulation layer and the light-shielding layer. 
     
     
         12 . A display apparatus comprising:
 a substrate;   a display element disposed on the substrate;   a pixel-defining layer disposed on the substrate and defining an opening that defines an emission area of the display element;   a spacer disposed on the pixel-defining layer and defining a first opening that overlaps the opening of the pixel-defining layer;   a thin-film encapsulation layer disposed on the display element; and   a light-shielding layer disposed on the thin-film encapsulation layer and defining a second opening corresponding to the emission area of the display element,   wherein, in a plan view, an edge of the spacer that defines the first opening surrounds an edge of the light-shielding layer that defines the second opening.   
     
     
         13 . The display apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the spacer comprises: a first portion having a certain shape; and a second portion extending from the first portion and defining the first opening. 
     
     
         14 . The display apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein a thickness of the first portion is greater than a thickness of the second portion. 
     
     
         15 . The display apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a size of the first opening is greater than or equal to a size of the second opening. 
     
     
         16 . The display apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a size of the second opening is greater than a size of the opening of the pixel-defining layer. 
     
     
         17 . The display apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the pixel-defining layer comprises a light-blocking material. 
     
     
         18 . The display apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a color filter in the second opening of the light-shielding layer. 
     
     
         19 . The display apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a reflection control layer in the second opening of the light-shielding layer,
 wherein the reflection control layer absorbs a first wavelength range of about 480 nm to about 505 nm, and a second wavelength range of about 585 nm to about 605 nm.   
     
     
         20 . The display apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the thin-film encapsulation layer comprises, on the spacer, a first inorganic encapsulation layer, an organic encapsulation layer, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer.